Pakistan-China Military and Security Ties: a Qualitative Analysis Muhammad Jawad Hashmi 1 Sobia Jamil 2 Dr

Pakistan Social Sciences Review P-ISSN 2664-0422 December 2019, Vol. 3, No.2 [279-296] O-ISSN 2664-0430 RESEARCH PAPER Pakistan-China Military and Security Ties: A Qualitative Analysis Muhammad Jawad Hashmi 1 Sobia Jamil 2 Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed 3 1. Lecturer, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan 2. Ph. D Scholar, Department of Law and International Relations, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu Malaysia 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), University of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan PAPER INFO ABSTRACT Received: After China’s emergence as a global power, military September 12 , 2019 modernization, strengthening military ties with other states in Accepted: different regions of the world, and enhancement in arms exports December 25, 2019 are some of China’s objectives to achieve.This research paper Online: focuses on analyzing China and Pakistan’s cooperation in December 31, 2019 defense sector as it is one of the leading elements of Pakistan- Keywords: China strategic relations. This paper analyzes the Pakistan-China China-Pakistan defense cooperation in all three branches (Army, Air Force, and Strategic Navy).This research study has employed the qualitative method Partnership, in which secondary sources of data have taken from existing China, Defence, literature, published and unpublished research works and Pakistan, Security primary data was collected by conducting interviews of Corresponding International Relations experts’ to analyze Chin’s defence and Author: security cooperation with Pakistan. The outcome of discussion Danalyst@hotm reflects that in the post 9/11 period, Pakistan and China have ail.com strengthen their military and security ties Introduction In the 21st century, Pakistan-China bilateral partnership has risen to the highest level, and they consider themselves as “All-weather strategic partners.” The Chinese government has consolidated its defense ties with Pakistan by developing multidimensional military technology, development of Gwadar port, joint military and naval exercises, the joint production of fighter jets, and cooperation in the nuclear sphere. In the year of 2014, China exported military weapons worth $394 million to Pakistan. In the very next year, this export was increased by 70 percent, and China supplied arms to Pakistan worth $565 million. It is noteworthy that the US Pakistan-China Military and Security Ties: A Qualitative Analysis decreased its arms sale to Pakistan from $189 million in 2014 to $66 million in 2015 (Tribune, 2016). In its study on the world arms trade from 2011 to 2015, According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in the period of 2013- 2017, Pakistan is the largest buyer of these arms with 35 percent of China’s arms exports among 48 recipient countries. (Pubby, 2019). Pakistan has been the biggest importer of Chinese arms sales for all five-year periods since 1991 (pieter d. wezeman, March 2018). Chinese troops Special Service Group visited Pakistan in December 2018 to participate in sixth joint exercise which is an important element of China-Pakistan defense and military cooperation (Pubby, 2019). Sino Pak defense and security ties are enduring and highly thriving. This strong partnership is exceptional and strategic interdependence between the two countries and convergence of interests have further given a boost to this existing relationship that has developed over the last sixty years. Along with many significant factors that have been discussed in the earlier part of the chapter, initially the India-Pakistan’s 65 and 71 wars and China’s border conflict with India in 1962 laid the foundation for China-Pakistan security relations. Many Chinese scholars used the term “common strategy” Pakistan-China strategic relations especially after 1965 and 1971 wars, but particularly in the latter half of 1970s. The Soviet Union invasion in Afghanistan made Pakistan-China strategic relations stronger.(Singh & Sciences, 2007). After 9/11, due to various developments and emergence of new threats, China and Pakistan are consolidating their collaboration in regional and national security matters. China has assured Pakistan that it will continue to support Pakistan in every possible manner. There are frequent political and military high level visits from both countries in past few years. Qamar Javed Bajwa visited China in 2018 after his appointment as Chief of army staff of Pakistan where he met with Chinese military and political officials. He discussed regional security, economy, defense and other agendas of common interests. After the meeting, Chinese media reported that China has plans to strengthen military ties with Pakistan by developing ballistic missiles, cruise and multi-role combat crafts. According to a Chinese military expert Song Zhongping, “China’s authorization to Pakistan to produce ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, anti- ship missiles and main battle tanks in Pakistan is on the agenda.” (T. E. Times, 2018). The most significant visit was made by Prime Minister Imran Khan in November 2018 when both countries pledged to strengthen their defense and security ties. In this visit, China and Pakistan agreed to enhance military 280 Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) December, 2019 Volume 3, Issue 2 cooperation between two countries and continue their joint efforts to counter terrorism, extremism and separatism. Both sides believe that these joint efforts are required for stable security environment. According to security analysts, Pakistan is replacing its western suppliers with China as its main defense supplier due to China’s low prices and loose financial terms because Pakistan is a cost conscious customer because of its economic challenges (F. Times, 2016). In a personal interview, Brigadier (Retired) Naeem Saalik and Salma Malik agreed on this point that China is the only country who is willing to transfer the technology to Pakistan in recent times at cost effective price as Pakistan is facing resistance for getting F-16 fighter planes from US while other options require hard cash. So buying from China is cost effective for the country like Pakistan who is facing security and economic challenges. Brig. (Retired) Naeem Saalik said:“One important factor is that this inequitable system based on political considerations in which some countries are given access to advance technologies where as countries like Pakistan are denied access to advance technology .We have seen in the past that when United States congress completed rejected to finance the deal of giving eight F16 to Pakistan which Pakistan is still trying to get, so if you have to buy cutting edge technologies from other sources, that one is very costly ,for instance if you get it from France, they will ask for hard cash which Pakistan Does not have, US had political strings attached to this deal as they forced Pakistan to act against Haqqani Network and Pakistan rejected those conditions So, China is now the major provider of the defense equipment to Pakistan , China is exporting to other countries as well but Pakistan is the largest client. China is one country that this is a reliable source of supply and is the only country who is willing to transfer all the technology to Pakistan as we have seen in the case of joint development JF17 Thunder, we have seen this cooperation in terms of tanks, missiles, so they are willing to transfer sophisticated technology, Pakistan and China have entered into submarine deal some of those will be manufactured and assembled in Karachi. Chinese technology is still affordable for the country like Pakistan and they are also willing to provide loans on soft terms. We need to enhance our capabilities because India is getting sophisticated and up to date technology from all major arms exporters”(Saalik, Personal Communication November 12, 2018). As there are serious security threats to Pakistan from Afghanistan and Indian fronts so it needs to enhance its defense capabilities. Initially America was the main arms provider to Pakistan but with the ups and down in this relationship, Pakistan understood this point that it needs to diversity its relations for its defense needs and China became a continuous source of support for Pakistan. As India is getting defense support from all the major powers and 281 Pakistan-China Military and Security Ties: A Qualitative Analysis Pakistan is denied to all the new and sophisticated technologies, China is the only country which is ready to enhance Pakistan’s defense capabilities and it is cost effective too as Pakistan is unable to afford expensive arms due to its economic crisis. Salma Malik has mentioned the same reasons for Pakistan‘s reliance on China. She said, “For Pakistan the access to Chinese technology or cost effective Chinese technology, I would not call cheaper because that gives a different message, cost effective technology has been very beneficial because of Pakistan’s limited purchase capacity. The second aspect is that the China and Pakistan are geographically very close to each other so having assembly lines, collaborations and the proximity also helps in a certain passion. It is also need base thing that China is willing to relax a lot of things when it comes to defense collaboration. And that is something which is always beneficial for a country like Pakistan as it was struggling to attain good technology at a cost effective price and that is something that China

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